As One Ends, Another Begins
by Miles Maniac
Summary: The story of Tails' love continues. Chapters 2 & 3 are up. R&R positive or negative.
1. As One Relatoinship Ends, Another Begins

This fic contains Yaoi/Shounen-Ai (is that right?). If you don't like the stuff don't read it. Don't flame that it's a M/M fic just about the story and how badly I might have changed the characters' personalities. I don't Sonic, Tails, Sally, Maximillian, Geoffrey, Elias, Bunnie, Antoine, or anyone else mentioned below. They belong to Archie Comics and Sega respectively.

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As One Ends, Another Begins

Now (although a little late) it begins as it was meant to be. First they must meet and accept each other but that will not be easy. 

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Tap, tap, tap, came the soft knocking at the door. Geoffrey didn't notice the soft rapping at the door. He was a little preoccupied at the time. There is a muffled sound coming from the door.

Prince Elias then hears Tails saying something about the King needing him. Being gagged Elias couldn't respond to Tails.

Miles "Tails" Prower slowly opens the door to check if the Prince was asleep. _Why did the King send me to have to call the Prince? Why didn't he send Sonic? He was faster and would have called Elias to the meeting already._ Peeping through the slit made by the opening of the door, Tails can only see darkness. As his eyes adjust to the darkness of the room Tails hears grunts. Looking to Elias' bed Tails sees two silhouettes.

Opening the door a little more Tails sees the Princes Elias gagged on his own bed. Tails could see no features of the silhouette atop the Prince. Looking into the Princes eyes Tails could tell what was happening right now wasn't something he was enjoying.

Charging through the door Tails rushes the person above the Prince. The person goes flying against the wall with a soft thud. He doesn't twitch but he was still breathing.

"Are you alright, your highness?" Asks a concerned Tails.

Removing the gag from his mouth Elias walks over to the door and checks to see if anyone was in the hallway._ Tails, why did it have to be you who charges in on me? Why couldn't it have been anyone else? …Anyone else?_ Seeing no one in the hallway the Prince silently shuts the door and turns on the light Elias turns to Tails.

Confused, Tails wonders why the Prince did not look shaken but instead looking worried. Tails then turns to the Prince's assailant. _Oh my… That's Geoffrey against the wall, but why would he have Elias gagged like he was?_

"Oh Tails…you shouldn't have barged in like that." The prince said with a deep blush. _Blush?!_ *gasp* _It's not a blush of embarrassment on his face._

"The King had sent me here to fetch you for the meeting," Tails says meekly, "but when I saw you gagged. I-I thought you were in trouble."

Shaking his head Elias says, "No, Tails I wasn't in trouble," W_hy of all those in the palace, did it have to be you?_

"B-but what was St John doing to you?" It then settles on Miles Prower what had been happening. Geoffrey and Elias with each other in the dark…_No! Of all the ways of finding out if my hopes were true but I had never, never wanted to find out so harshly that I had no chance._

Elias can tell that Tails had just figured out what was happening and Tails looked shocked and…something else. "Tails, I..." Elias began but before he could say anymore Tails had flown out of the room. "Tails, WAIT! Let me…explain." It was obvious that Tails could no longer hear him.

"Uung" groaned Geoffrey. He shakes his head. "What happened? The last thing I remember is being on you…" he said with a sneer. "Then I was…" Elias didn't listen to the last part.

Seething with anger he says, "Shut. Up. Geoffrey. I want you to leave, _now_." The last word dipped in the acid of his hatred for Geoffrey, his shame and …his loss. Knowing he deserved Elias threw his anger at the skunk. "Get out now! Get your things and never, ever come to my room again." The last was said with such force that Geoffrey took it like a blow. Skulking out of the room Geoffrey mutters to himself.

Staring out the window Elias whispers to the night, "Tails why? Oh why did you have to find out in such away? I had never, ever meant for this to happen to you." With tears in his eyes Elias puts on his clothes, straightened his face, and went to see what the meeting that had started all this was about. *sigh* _Tails if only you knew the truth._

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_I can't believe _*sniff* _how could I have been so stupid. I must have ruined a wonderful evening. _*sniff* _I had always wanted to know if had I had a chance but I had never wanted my hopes so thoroughly shattered._

"Tails, WAIT!" Elias cried after Tails. He didn't wait he just went faster. Tails starts heading to Knothole Village with tears in his eyes. He knows he can't return to Mobotropolis after what he did. _Stupid, Stupid, STUPID! How could I have done this?_

The voices, his guides, were for once were silent in Miles' mind. This gave the fox time to think to himself, to organize what had happened just a few minutes past.

Everything had happened so quickly._ Geoffrey being flung off Prince Elias. What a way for me to find out about their nightly…foraying._ "If only I had thought, *****sniff***** before I had barged in. Sally had always told me to think before I just react. If only I hadn't barged in *sniff* none of this would be happening. How could I *sniff* do this to Elias? I wish his happiness not his anger. *sob* I wish I could take this night back and stop it from happening!" He wails to the dark sky surrounding him in flight.

After that Tails says nothing more. Nor does he think at all. His mind is in shock. The entire flight from then on is mechanical. Adjusting automatically to the winds. Tails flew into Knothole Village and walked vacantly to the place he had once called home.

The hammock was still slung between the two walls he had put it on before. It was obvious from the swaying that little dust had landed on it. Its swaying moment back and forth isn't affected by Tails' entrance. But he does not notice any of this either.

Unconsciously Tails climbs into the hammock, curled into the fetal position and cried. He cried until his eyes were dry and red. His nose ran but he didn't care. "Why?" was all he asked to the air around him before his exhaustion caught up with him. Flying from Mobotropolis within a night was tiring. Sleep deep but restless settles upon him finally

_You never know how much surprises can hurt until it happens to you._

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"So son you finally come," King Maximillian Acorn said from his decorated chair in front of the table. Elias takes all those here with a glance around. To the right of his father Princess Sally Acorn looking as regal as ever. Next to her with the spines and looking impatient is Sonic the Hedgehog. An empty chair followed him, probably for Tails *sigh.* Across of the seat is Bunnie Rabbot looking as perky as ever (even at this late hour).The seat next to her housed Antoine D'Coolette with a snotty look to his face. It looked like he had been interrupted from something he had been enjoying *o.O*. Next to him must have been Elias' seat.

Prince Elias sat himself down genially, without a trace of the emotion from just a few minutes ago. "So what is this meeting about, Father?"

"I will tell you when Tails gets back."

"Tails left suddenly after he came to get me and I think he won't be back for a while. So I suggest we get this meeting started now."

"Did he say where he was going?" Asks a concerned Sally.

"No, he didn't mention to me where he was going."

"That's not like him…" Sonic mumbles to himself. "I'll go find him after the meeting your majesty but like Elias said, I think we should start this meeting."

"Fine. Well I found out that the Floating Island shall be passing over head in a week and I would like to have the royal family and some the Freedom Fighters to come and have a vacation on the isle. That was why I would have liked to Tails here so he could fly to the Island and tell Knuckles that we would like to visit.

"So I ask who would like to go with me to the Floating Island?"

"I would," Sonic says hastily.

"So would I," Sally states sedately with Tails still in her mind.

"Ah would too sugah," Bunnie says sweetly. Years with the King made Bunnie not need to be so formal around him.

"As would I," Antoine adds.

"I would not rather go this time," softly mentions the heir to the throne.

"Why?" "You don't want to go?" "Really? Why not?" The others ask at the same time, all concerned now over the Prince.

When all the chattering stopped Elias said, "I already had plans plus I just don't feel like going." _Only half a lie, but one that is needed for me right now._

"I guess if you don't want to son…" says the worried Monarch. "Well this ends the meeting. Sonic, hurry up and find Tails plus tell what we plan to do."

"I'm already there!" Becoming a blur and with a whoosh of air Sonic is out the door and gone. With that the others head to bed never knowing or suspecting with exception to Elias what had happened.

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_Why would Tails just take off like that? It isn't like him to disappear without and explanation. Without a word yes, but not without an explanation. What could have happened that would make him take off?_ Sonic speeds past Geoffrey St. John who doesn't even notice the Hedgehog.

_What's wrong with St. John? He didn't even notice me. There was no yell of anger or anything from him. What is happening here?_

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The day slowly creeps in on the sleeping fox. He is tossing and turning through his dreams. Although now he cannot break free of his dream, he will soon.

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_"How could you barge in on me like that?" Speaks an accusingly angry Prince Elias Acorn._

"I didn't mean to. I had no idea about you and St. John."

"You did know and because of your jealousy, you barged into my room. The meeting you spoke of was just an excuse for you to come to my room."

"The meeting was true and I truly didn't know. I would never have…" Tails says meekly.

"You hit and hurt my love. I hate you. You have caused me a great wrong!" After that Geoffrey St. John emerges.

Together they say, "Tails we hate you with all our hearts. We hate you."

"No. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to," Tails then breaks down and cries his heart out at the pain he caused.

"We hate you," their voices echoes never leaving Tails, "We hate you."

Crying, Tails mutters, "I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to"

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Sweat and tears come from the scared sleeping fox. He believes that it is all his fault. His guilt and fears rise to the surface in his dreams. He has lost all hope and feels no reason his life should go on but he lives his life anyway.

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_"Tails, how could you do this to your Prince?"_

"I had never meant to. I wish that I had never assumed he was in trouble."

"If you had only thought about the situation. I thought I taught you not to be impatient. Looks like I was wrong. You just barged in without thinking. I am disappointed in you Miles Prower." States a sedated Princess Sally Acorn. "Why did you barge in on my brother? We all knew. How could you not? You did it on purpose. This was no accident…you did it. You caused all this pain on my brother, on Geoffrey and on all of us." She spreads her arms and the rest of the Freedom Fighters step forth from the shadows. Sonic, Bunnie, Rotor, and Sally all stare angrily at the fox.

"No one. No one but you. Only you could have caused this pain," they say in chorus. "No one but you…no one but you…"

"I didn't know. I had never meant for this to happen I didn't know. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"No one but you…Tails."

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Still asleep Tails continues to mumble under his breath, "I didn't know. I didn't mean for this to happen." He shivers. His fur clings tenuously to his body. His tails are flat and hang without movement from the hammock. His eyes are sunken and his tears have long since dried up. "I didn't know. I didn't mean for this to happen."

He believes he is a traitor, betraying his friends and the Prince. He no longer believes he has friends though in truth he has many.

His exhaustion catches him again and no longer can mumble but lay there in the hammock without moving only dreaming of his guilt and betrayal.

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_"Tails, this is all your fault. If it weren't for you, Elias would be happy," a voice echoes from the shadows._

"Only you could have done this," continues the voice. "No one else but you could have done this. You can no longer stay with your 'friends.' I doubt if they would ever call you that. There is no returning to Mobotropolis. There is NOTHING for you there now.

"One thing though. I must congratulate you on how you so effectively destroyed them all. I could never have done that. Hah, hah, hah, haaa."

"No! I could not have destroyed them. No! I couldn't have!" Tails says defensively.

"Oh yesss," the shadow hisses. "You destroyed them all and nothing can be done to change what you did." The shadow states menacingly. "You did perfectly…as I had expected you to." The shadow then gives way off an egg-shaped character with beady eyes and a long orange mustache.

*gasp* "R-R-Robotnik! How could this be, y-y-you're dead!" Tails tries to charge at Robotnik only to find he is trapped. Moving his arms and legs shows that they too are tied against a table. The lights go on and Tails can see that even if he weren't strapped to the table there was still a glass wall between him and Robotnik. Struggling to free himself only rubs the bindings against his arms and legs. Even his tails couldn't be moved.

"Hah, hah, ha, ha, haaa! Don't you think I would learn from my mistakes," he bellows. Then with a flick of a switch the chamber starts filling with a sickening green-brown smoke. Tails tries to hold his breath but the smoke enters him anyway. He gasps in more of the smoke from the pain. The smoke burns his throat, sears his lungs, singes his fur, and scorches his eyes.

He's going to torture me for what I've done to him. And to think I will die alone for the betrayal I have done.

__

Then with a push of a button, volts of electricity then fire into the chamber. The change caused by the electricity doesn't bother Tails anymore. He simply doesn't care. There was no point in fighting anymore. There was no point in living anymore for Tails. "You deserve this," speaks voices once belonging to friends. "This is what you…" Tails passes out.

He awakens later not feeling any pain. Instinctively he tries moving his arms, they don't respond. Starting to panic Tails tries moving anything but nothing would move. Looking out as if through glass Tails can see Robotnik removing the bindings on his arms, legs, and tails. Seeing this he redoubles his efforts to do anything. Slowly Tails gets up but he hadn't wanted that. What is happening to me?

__

Robotnik, with a sneer, puts a mirror before Tails' face. Reflecting off the glass was not Tails' normal face but a face of metal glistening in the light. No! No! Nooo!_ Tails had been roboticized._

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POW! Tails falls from the hammock. *pant, pant* _It had all been a dream._ Then remembering what had happened._ How could I have been so stupid?_ Tails crawls over to a corner. He leans his back against the wall, brings up his knees. After wrapping his arms around his legs, he rocks back and forth, back and forth. His Tails then surround him.

Guilt and fear has Tails in their grasp. _I am alone. There is nothing for me. It is over for me. Plus the destruction of my friends is all my fault._ Panic soon enters his mind and Tails can no longer think. Crying and depressed Tails repeats with no feeling and no voice that nothing is left for him. No hope makes Tails then feel empty. He has no idea how wrong he really is…

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It has been almost a week and Tails was no where to be found. Sonic the Hedgehog had searched all of the mapped area of Mobius, twice, and still planned to go to the Floating Island, surprising Knuckles when they arrive.

"Sonic you should stop looking for Tails for now," advises Sally.

"No. I… have to find… him." Sonic says slowly. He had been wearing himself thin trying to find Tails.

"Sonic, I order you to stop looking for Tails and get your stuff ready for the vacation now!"

"But… but I… mus-" Slam! Sonic falls heavily to the floor.

"Oh, Sonic. Tails has been one of your oldest friends. This must have been eating you up inside." She leaves Sonic and looks for someone who could help her take Sonic to his room. "Poor, Sonic. Tails where are you?"

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Two days later King Maximillian Acorn, Princess Sally Acorn, Bunnie Rabbot, Antoine D'Coolette, and a reluctant Sonic the Hedgehog heads to the Floating Island.

Prince Elias watches them leave for the Isle. *sigh* "Even if Sonic couldn't find you, Tails, I know I will…somehow." _Where could he be?_

_Let me think, it has to be a place familiar to him, probably a place he called home. Few people must visit this place or else someone would have run into him by now. Someplace filled with memories of happiness…_ *gasp* "I know where you are Tails and I am going to find you," the Prince whispers to himself.

He then tries to rush out of the room. He doesn't take any supplies knowing that it won't take him long to reach Knothole Village. _Although Sonic said he had searched there, I am pretty sure it was in his usual impatient way that he searched. He probably rushed through figuring Tails wouldn't be in such a place. But moving that fast must have made him just miss Tails just barely. I have to go and talk to Tails._

On his way out he sees Geoffrey St John standing at the doorway. "Where do you think you're going, your highness?" Mockingly asks the skunk.

"I told you never to come to my room again…" snarled the Prince. He tries to go around the officer but Geoffrey blocks the way. "Get out of my way."

"Have you forgotten our agreement already? Every other week, I have at you…and with the others gone I won't need to gag you." Sneering the skunk starts walking up to Elias.

"No!"

"Eh?"

"No. This 'agreement' is over. Get out of my way now. I have to leave right away."

"Really? What makes you think you can end our agreement?" Says the skunk.

"As one reason, I never really agreed. As reason two, I have to leave on a matter of great importance now. And as three, I. Have. No. Use. For. You." Each word emphasized pointedly.

At the look of confusion on Geoffrey's face, Elias rushes on past him leaving the palace, then Mobotropolis to Knothole in hopes of finding Tails.

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For the past week he had been busy getting himself food and making sure he stayed clean. Sonic had also almost caught Tails. If it weren't for Sonic's yelling Tails would never dodged him. The hunt was on Tails believed.

_He's trying to bring me in. I was right, everybody but me had known about Geoffrey and Elias. Now they are trying to catch me for the traitor I am._

Once again, as had been happening often Tails began crying over his poor, pathetic, hopeless self. Always repeating to himself. _It is all because of me that everything's been happening._ The memory of that fateful night returns to his mind. Catching the lovers in embrace. Knocking Geoffrey off Prince Elias. Coming to terms about that he admits he enjoyed that part. But that always returned Tails to the fact that they were in each other's embrace.

Enjoying hitting Geoffrey was the true setting for the fox's depression. Tails figures out that he believed he was saving Elias from an assailant. Saving him would finally let him _notice_ Tails. But again. And again. And again. It had all gone wrong. "I had never meant for this to happen. I had never really meant it," he wailed.

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"I had never really meant it," comes a sudden wail that startled the squirrel coming up the beaten path.

_I was right; Tails is here and sounding sad indeed. _Still cautiously walking through Knothole so as not to alert Tails of his presence. _Having a week alone must have him believing that it had been his fault. He couldn't have known about the truth of Geoffrey and I._

Finally Elias reaches the place where all the sobbing sounds are coming from. "Tails…Hello…It's me Elias." The sobbing stops abruptly and Tails charges blindly to the door and escape. The Prince easily stops the charge. Grabbing hold of the fox he carries him to a to a corner and puts him down gently. Tails' eyes are rimmed red and dry. Also they are downcast always avoiding Elias' eyes.

"Tails, Tails. Snap out of it. Come on. Come back to the real world." A little bit of sense returns to the fox's eyes. Tails slowly looks up and sees it is Elias and quickly lowers his head once again.

"Just go. I want to be alone. Go return to Geoffrey and let me be." A shudder rolls down Elias' back. _I knew I would hear that name too soon._

"Tails just listen. I dropped Geoffrey." Shock comes over Tails. _I knew it. I had destroyed a wonderful relationship. If it weren't for me, they would still be together._

The wrong reaction was on Tails' face. Quickly Elias tries explaining to tails, "Tails, this really wasn't your fault that it is over. I know by the way you acted that night. You were trying to protect me. You saw me gagged and believed I was in trouble, right?"

Tails nods slowly with a sniff. Elias continues, "The _relationship_ between Geoffrey and I was wrong from the beginning. He had come to my room one night and asked. Though I didn't agree, I didn't turn him out. Since I didn't answer he thought I was just being shy." He says a little sadly then adds in an ominous tone, "He never said he loved me; he never was gentle; he never said he enjoyed it, but then again I didn't either. Basically, forcefully embracing himself onto me. Knowing he didn't want me but wanted another just made it all the worse." Saying this brought Elias back to those horrid days of abuse.

*gasp* "Really? It wasn't a great relationship I had destroyed?"

"It wasn't Tails. It had been doomed to begin with. There was no love on either side."

"B-but I f-feel so g-guilty about barging in on you. I know it wasn't very nice." Subserviently states Tails.

"Yes, it wasn't nice but don't feel bad about that. Because of your charging into my room I got rid of Geoffrey. Had it not been for you I would be being abused right as we speak; what you did was great."

Surprised the fox asks, "You mean what I d-did wasn't a bad, but actually a good thing for you?"

"Mm-hmm." With that soft sound the greatest of Tails' burdens of guilt were dispelled. A little fear remained but hope shone brightly in his eyes once again.

To Elias' eyes he could see that true hope and true life return to his friend's eyes. _Now if what I saw in his eyes that night a week ago was what I think it was. One week to think it has only been one week since this all started. It seems more like an eternity._

Should I ask him? They both ask themselves. Shyly Tails lifts his eyes to look deeply into Elias'.

"Elias…um…I wanted to know if…if you well… um…" his voice trails off.

_Yes. It is true he does like me. _"Wanted to know what, Tails?" The Prince asks coyly.

"Well I wanted to know…um…if you *cough* liked me?" Tails meekly asks. _There it is finally out in the open. Now I just wait to see if there is anything or nothing for me._

_Yes. He finally asked me. *sigh* This is a moment I will always cherish._ "Yes, Tails, I do like you and I have for a long time," states the elated Elias.

_H-he said yes._ Pleasure and happiness swamp Tails. It is too much for him and he soon faints.

"Hmmm, oh Tails if you only know how good you look right now." The Prince repositions Tails' head on his chest and starts stroking Tails' hair.

Right before Tails completely blacks out into a sleep of true happiness he keeps Elias in his mind to cherish forever.

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Together they finally are as they were truly meant to be. Happiness blooms in their future but obstacles must be overcome before then. Hope rests high for both of them but will they survive through it all?

If you read the fic can you send your comments on the pairing, the plot (for now), and whether or not to send if some later chapters. Flames can be sent if you have the time to complain but you were warned that the story might not be good so it is your fault. If any of the points of view are confusing sorry. I try to keep to one character's thoughts except with the two end loves.


	2. As One Fear Ends, Another Begins

This is chap two. I am putting this in to see if others have read my first chap. This is a yaoi fic starring Tails and a character mentioned in the first chap. For those who read the first chapter review either positive or negative will help.

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As One Ends, Another Begins

They have met and accepted each other, but as their happiness begins so too does a dark plot to break them up…

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Seething with anger Geoffrey St. John watches Elias take hold of Tails and bring him in close. _How dare they! He is miiine. That little two-tailed freak! This is not the end of it! I will get him back and ruin that fox for life!_

Silently and swiftly he leaves the village on his way back to Mobotropolis.

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Tails awakens in Elias' embrace. Elias stirs as Tails does. "Did you have a good rest?"

"Mm-hmm," slowly the recent events catch up and Tails fills again with the happiness. Snuggling up closer to Elias, Tails smiles.

_He looks so happy. I have never seen him like this. He is such a cute ball of fur._ Smiling back at Tails, Elias continues to stroke Tails' hair.

"I'm glad I asked you if you liked me. You have made me so happy," _That sounded so corny. I should have thought before I spoke,_ he scolded himself.

"You don't know how happy you make me." Looking into each other's eyes for a little longer, they kiss. The root of the kiss is spontaneous, filled with happiness and love for one another. Soft and passionately they stroke each other's fur. Elias' fingers trace down Tails' back, down to his tails and back up. Tails slowly and subtly wrap the two of them within his tails.

They do nothing more than this, though. Breaking the kiss Elias begins, "Tails?"

"Yes?" The fox answers.

"I think we should find a better place then this." To this Tails just gives him a blank stare, so Elias continues, "Well, it's not very comfortable on the hard floor like this." To emphasize this he knocks on the floor. "Don't you think we should find some place else to do…" his voice softens as a faint blush appears on his face, "…you know?" As he asks the last part, Elias starts spinning his index finger on Tails' chest.

Tails starts giggling uncontrollably. "Stop…hah hah…stop that…hah hah hah." Tails fights to stop laughing and tries to tickle Elias. They toss and tumble over each other until both were breathless with laughter, still bubbling up.

"I know the perfect spot where we can be comfortable, private, and…*sniff, sniff*…you can take a bath, 'cause you stink." Following that Tails starts giggling again. Elias just looks blankly, obviously confused making Tails laugh even harder.

After a few more minutes of uncontrolled laughter Tails stops laughing and gets up. The huge smile still on his face. He holds out his hand for Elias to use to get up. Elias takes it gingerly. _He is both beautiful and kind. Why wasn't I more open to him before?_ Wonders Elias.

"Come on, I'm going to take you to the spot I was talking about." Elias, while still holding Tails' hand, gets up. Not letting go of Elias' hand Tails leads them through a beautiful route.

They soon arrive at the spot…and it is actually a lake. The lake to Elias' amazement is beautiful. The water is so clear it reflects the trees surrounding it perfectly. The lake is steady; not a breeze shifted the water's glass like surface. The sand around the lake is soft and fine, subtly changing from shore to forest floor. The trees are blooming still yet, even though it is the beginning of summer. The flowers from each tree is a different hue, from soft blue-violet to intense red-orange. The colors of the flowers didn't fight to catch the eye. They worked together to give a breath-stealing beauty that didn't seem real.

Tails then pulls Elias eagerly around some trees, "This place, it's…it's, I don't know what word can express the beauty possessed here." Tails shrugs.

"Come on, let me show you the best part."

"You mean there's more?" Asks the astonished Prince.

"Yeah!" Tails says while still tugging the dumbfounded Prince some more. Tails leads them to a waterfall. The water cascades down the fall not in an angry roar as others have been known to, but a soft rolling of water. The waterfall isn't very tall but still looks astounding to the monarch to be.

"You'll get to see something else as soon as you wash up." Tails states proudly remembering long ago when he stumbled into this perfectly peaceful place, and was caught by the magical splendor all around.

Climbing to the top of the waterfall Elias once again takes in the splendor of the place. _How beautiful,_ he thinks to himself. _And to think it's_- "Woah!" *splash* As Elias falls into the water with a large splash.

Surprised and shocked, Elias swims back to the surface gasping for breath. "You took too long getting ready. I would like to show you more stuff. Don't you want to see too?" Tails asks barely keeping a straight face.

"How could you do that? This was a designer jacket and you ruined it!" Elias says mortified, not at his loss of a jacket but Tails would just shove him off a cliff like that, even if it isn't a very high cliff.

"Gasp. I-I ruined your one of a kind designer jacket," he says no longer paying attention to Elias. "I guess you will just have to – Waah!" *splash* Tails swims back up to the surface sputtering. Just to be pulled down by a diving Elias.

Tails breaks free of Elias and swims quickly back to the surface and away from Elias. The Prince breaks the surface soon after. "Hah, hah. You deserved that," laughs Elias, "plus I didn't say it was a one of a kind jacket."

"Oh, you're gonna get it now," turning away from the Prince, Tails whirls his tails quickly. As his tails touch the surface of the water they create waves upon waves that go away from Tails straight to Elias. He is swept away by the current getting pushed and rained on by water.

Fighting his way against the waves Elias grab Tails' arm and they start wrestling and playing in the water. The splashes they make soak the grass around the sand's end. Soon after Tails and Elias return to the shore breathless once again.

"You still have to get all that dirt off you, you know," Tails says teasingly. Pulling out a bar of soap from inside a patch of tall grass he hands it to Elias.

"But all that time in the water?" Dumbstruck again, for the third time that day he just stares vacantly out at nothing.

Tails shakes his head and adds, "Got to work on your wit too. Otherwise I'm gonna die laughing." Following that Tails then takes off his gloves, socks, and shoes and puts them on the side to dry.

Elias walks over to the shore and removes his shoes, socks, and jacket. _He is so perfect. I will always love him,_ wistfully thinks Elias. Following that he says, "Tails, I love you." Elias steps into the lake and starts washing himself.

_He said it. He said he loves me._ Tails fills with joy over this knowledge. _Everything is set like a dream, but not in my wildest dreams had this ever happen!_ Tails then shakes his head slowly, _and to think this is happening because I charged in on Geoffrey and Elias. That seems like so long ago._

Sitting there on the hill that leads up to the top of the fall, Tails stares openly at Elias. Elias' fur clings to him well showing things to Tails that he thought he would never see. His body is well toned. His fur looks like a second skin on him except for his tail. The tail's shaggy fur doesn't seem to agree with the water, making it look pathetic. His hair glistened nicely in the sun. He lathers up his hair, dives under the surface of the lake the quickly resurfaces. His hair falls completely covering his eyes and nose. Elias' mouth is in a "o" of surprise. He looks to the left the to his right and then back again.

Tails can barely keep his mirth down. _Oh how he can make me laugh. Never has anyone made me laugh at his or her antics so hard. He makes it even funnier by acting like he doesn't know he doing it…at least I hope it is an act._

Taking one more dip under the clear water, Elias surfaces and walks out of the water. Using a hand to keep his hair out of his face he walks silently over to Tails who seems to be daydreaming about something. When he is at Tails' feet Elias stops moving then…shakes his head vigorously spraying water everywhere and snapping Tails out of his daydream.

"Hey! Hey! I had just dried off you," Tails says trying to keep himself away from the spray. "St-stop it already," he complains.

"I know, that's why I did it." Elias playfully.

"Well, come lay with me on the grass so _we_ can _both_ dry off." Elias kneels down next to Tails. Tails repositions himself by sidling up to Elias then setting his head on Elias' damp shoulder.

Taking hold of one of Tails' hands, Elias begins stroking it softly. Tails' fur is soft and well groomed. _His fur isn't tangled like mine. Why is that?_ Noticing that he is actually holding Tails' hand and not his glove Elias smiles and starts studying it. His nails are clear and manicured. The fingers are both very soft and supple with no calluses anywhere on his hand. His tails are thick and fluffy. _That would explain why he usually uses one of them as a pillow so often. I guess they are also his pride and joy._ Elias' hand returns once again to Tails' hair. Elias' fingers flows through never stopping on a snag. There are no tangles. Tails' hair always falls back into place. There are no split ends either. He takes really good care of himself.

Looking at Tails' face Elias sees that the fox is well fed no sunken eyes or cheeks. _He's in better health then I am…doesn't look like I need to worry about him. If he ever gets lost, I know he will live long enough for someone to find him. Besides I won't let him get lost without me now that we are together. His resolve is tougher than nails but one wrong word or act could wreak havoc with his emotions._

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

They lay there not saying one word just enjoying each other's company. The sunsets slowly putting more hues of color into the air then the flowers do. It is all a beautiful image of peace, loyalty, hope, and love that seem all too fleeting. They share the moment with each other and enjoy the serenity surrounding them for what it is…bliss.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Come on Sonic, You have to eat something…" pleads a worried Sally Acorn.

"I'm not hungry."

"I have a chili dog with everything you like on it, in it, and around it," offers Sally.

"I don't want it," says Sonic. *group gasp*

"Ah, neva heard Sonic refuse a chili dog," states a surprised Bunnie Rabbot.

"Sonic, eet ehz time you stopped worrying about Tails. Enjoy theez vacation while you can," Antoine says truly worried.

"Sonic enjoy this vacation now," orders King Maximillian Acorn. "It will be a long time before the Floating Island becomes accessible again.

"I can't enjoy this vacation or any vacation until I find Tails," sternly states Sonic.

"For all you know Tails could be back in his room now." Sally says hoping that he will snap out of his despair.

"You guys go and relax, but I'm going back down to Mobius and look for Tails." Sonic gets up from the chair he had been sitting in and (as usual) before anyone can say anything he's out of sight.

_Tails lil bro, where are you?_

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The soft rolling of the waterfall covers Tails' and Elias' noise. The cave behind the waterfall is filled with a soft light. The waterfall itself acts as a curtain between them and the world.

"I planted the glowing fungus on the walls some time ago," Tails states proudly. The soft whitish glow silhouettes both of them. Tails leans his head on Elias' shoulder. The touch sends elated shivers down the squirrel's back.

Feeling the shivers Tails rests his hands over Elias' back, "Your back is so tense. I have to get you to relax." Tails sits himself in a corner, "Come on, Elias, and sit in front of me."

Elias crawls over to Tails and sits, rather uncertain of what to do. Tails maneuvers to directly behind the Prince and starts pressing and pinching the tight muscles. Slowly the muscles relax. "You're good. I have never had a massage this relaxing or heh, heh this fun." This is the truth. Having grown up in the Forbidden Zone and only recently living in Mobotropolis, he had never gotten a massage by anyone.

Using his supple hands, Tails continues all over Elias' back then he moves to his love's neck. _Score! I knew the massage lessons I had would of some use._ Tails pushes at the pressure points forcing Elias' muscles to contract then relax.

Elias is in bliss. Slowly while massaging his neck, Tails turns Elias' to him then the fox kisses the Prince passionately. Once again they fall into one another embrace. The fear of rejection from either side completely dissipating as they continue being with each other.

In their embrace their mind's link. They learn every part of each other in the link. In their minds time of no importance. Though their minds are linked their bodies are still independently controlled.

Through the link Tails finds out how Elias' life had been so incredibly hard in the Forbidden Zone. The loneliness of trusting no one. The fear of never knowing if he tomorrow will come and what horrors would be in store that day. The thought of escape never enters the mind. Living in the Forbidden Zone is a fight. A fight to live. A fight to be. A fight to hope. There is no rest from the world, only times when the body slept before it burned out; the mind never slept though. Always alert. Always in fear of what is lurking. But for the Prince there was a shimmer of hope that an end would come. Either by his death or by becoming free of the accursed place. Then one day that hope was given life as Elias was finally freed from the Forbidden Zone…but not without a price.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Knowing this, Tails knows he will never leave his Prince's side. _I will always love you,_ he thinks. He thinks it loud toward Elias, hoping he will receive the thought of him.

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As Tails looks through Elias' memories, Elias does the same. Julian Ivo Kintobor's take over of Mobotropolis is swift. Most families don't even have a chance to flee. SWATbots barge into houses quickly capturing all those inside. All those who are captured become roboticized except for the children that escaped with the help of a speedy little hedgehog. After his take over of Mobotropolis Julian Ivo Kintobor changes his name and the name of the once peaceful city. Dr. Ivo Robotnik soon sends his SWATbots from Robotropolis to the surrounding villages. Then he sends some to the islands surrounding the continent.

Miles Prower at just five years old is captured with his parents, Amedeus and Rosemary Prower. Robotnik has made it a habit to watch all of those to be roboticized. When it is the Prower family's time to be roboticized he makes Rosemary go first. When she returns to the family, they are crushed that she has been roboticized. Amedeus is the next to be taken to the roboticizer. Miles begins crying, seeing his mother be changed and soon would be his father. As he cries something unusual happens. SWATbots begin to fizzle and crash into one another. The robotic Rosemary sparks and soon falls onto the floor. Robotnik covers his ears but the pain caused by the cries are not halted by the futile gesture.

A pause happens as Miles takes in another breath but as he does he hears his mothers metallic voice. "Run, Miles. You must escape. Run or their will be no hope…for anyone." The fox runs. With tears in his eyes, he runs. He does not stop, he does not even know where he is going but unconsciously he chooses the correct path. Soon the young fox is out of the city.

"Mama, *sniff* Papa," he whispers softly into the sky. As he continues to run he keeps visualizing what has happened to his parents. He does not notice who is following him until he falls into unconsciousness.

"Oh son you have made me so proud of you this day," says the figure. Miles awakens to see his father at his side.

"Papa?" He asks hoping that it's true.

"Yes son it's me."

"Oh Papa!" Miles begins crying.

"It's okay son, it's okay. I'm here for you," says Amedeus trying to comfort his son. "Be happy that you made it. I made it here because of you. I'm proud of you." Amedeus takes care of his son for a few months within a hut he had found. Together Miles and his father are happy being with one another. But soon that happiness ends too as SWATbots crash in and capture Amedeus. He is soon roboticized. Miles on the other hand escapes once again, but this time he is unable to stop his father from being captured.  
He lives alone. He keeps himself alive by living through the forest. He is always able to find food when he needs it nothing within the forest ever scared him. Living alone he learned how to use his tails for flight, for speed, and for helping him swim. He fights to live even though there seems no reason to with both of his parents gone. He does not want to die though. So he keeps himself alive.

One day while living this lonely life he runs into a hedgehog. The blue hedgehog zooms on by without a second glance. Seeing how fast he was moving Miles follows the hedgehog trying to catch up. When the hedgehog stops unexpectedly Miles crashes into him. "Why did you crash into me?" The hedgehog asks.

"Well I was trying to follow you, and I have for some time now, but you suddenly stopped and I crashed into you." Explains the little fox, embarrassed at what he did.

"How could you have been following me? I'm the fastest thing alive," the hedgehog says matter-of-factly.

"Welll, you're not that fast. I almost caught up to you quite a few times." Following this the hedgehog looks like he going to hit the fox then decides against it.

"I'll race you then. First one to that tree *points to tree* will be the fastest," the hedgehog challenges.

"Okay. Ready go," says the fox.

"What?" The confused hedgehog asks. Soon he sees what is happening then tries to catch up to the fox. They arrive at the tree at the same time. "You cheated," speaks the hedgehog. "You aren't as fast as I am. You only got here so quickly because you cheated."

"I didn't cheat," Miles says defensively.

"What's you're name?" Asks the hedgehog.

"I don't want to say it. You say yours first."

"My name is Sonic. Come on tell me your name," pleads the hedgehog.

"I'll tell you if you don't tell anyone else." Sonic nods his head in agreement. "It's Miles," Miles says softly.

"I like that name," begins Sonic.

"Then you can have it."

"I don't want it," Sonic says. "Okay, I guess we'll just have to give you a nickname…How about 'Tails' because of your two tails," offers the hedgehog.

"Hmmm, 'Tails'. I like that name." So a friendship begins with a race. Soon "Tails" forgets about how he escaped the first time from Robotnik. Staying with Sonic has kept him busy over the years. He is happy…but not without the cost of his parents.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Elias is touched at how Tails' life had been. He notices that his life and Tails' have both been hard since such a young time. Elias soon hears Tails' thought echo to him _…I will always love you…_

_I will always love you too, Miles_, thinks Elias to Tails.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

As the night wears on, the lover's physical and mental embrace end. They once again lay without touching on the moss. They simply enjoy each other's company. Happiness is set deep within both of them as they realize the bliss that they are living in.

At the back of their minds though is a fear that neither wants to voice. They have time to enjoy what they have but they must be careful or things will not be this happy for very long.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

_Something must be done about those two. I will not have what is mine stolen from me. No one will stop me from having him again!_ The shadowy figure returned to Mobotropolis and began plotting.

_I will find something to split them up and return that weak-willed prince to my feet. I must get rid of that fox but how?_ Geoffrey slowly makes his way through the streets. Crowds give way to the leader of the armed forces of Mobotropolis.

He vaguely passes everyone without a glance. He is too busy in his mind in order to pay any attention to his surroundings. _He deserves what's coming to him. No one stands in my way. No one!_ Satisfied with the beginning of his plan in mind, he whistles. Walking through Mobotropolis he ignores all and thinks of the fun he will soon have when everyone returns from the Floating Island.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

The next morning Elias wakes up alone. He rolls to his left and then to his right. It soon dawns on the Prince that Tails is nowhere to be seen. Only the soft rolling of the waterfall and Elias' short breaths are the sounds in the early morning air.

Elias checks the moss around him and it was fine with no sign of struggle. There is nothing. He then heads outside, "Tails? Tails?" he calls. No answer. Panic starts taking control of the Prince as Tails steps out of the forest.

Looking to his love Tails can see the worry on Elias' face. "What's wrong? Are you all right?" He asks concerned.

"Don't leave me like that. You had me so worried. Not about your safety but about your leaving. I care about you."

"Oh, Elias, I would never leave you willingly," Tails says with a slight smile. _I should be more careful. He seems to have so much hope in this._

Visibly relaxing Elias asks, "So where did you go?"

"I went to get breakfast. I need food after that workout." Tails says merrily. His fur reflects the early the early morning light. "I have some very delicious pastries from the store house. Also I have some berries and other…stuff."

"Oh…" Elias starts drooling before Tails even finishes his sentence. He licks his lips then says, "Let's eat." They eat together in silence, enjoying the food and once again each other company.

_What are we going to do when we return to Mobotropolis? I severely doubt father will approve of this,_ Elias wonders to himself. _What will the rest of the Freedom Fighters think of this? Tails no longer alone…I know they will approve of that…but will they approve of me?_

…but will they approve of me?… echoes Elias' mind voice in Tails' head. _He fears they won't approve…I don't care whether or not they approve. I love you Elias._

…I love you Elias… The voice travels well and clear to Elias' mind. *gasp* "We're still mind linked!"

"I guess we are…does it really matter though?" Tails says to his love.

"No, no not really. It just surprised me," Elias announces. "So… you… um… don't care whether or not they approve?"

"Like I thought to you, I don't care if they don't approve. Although I don't see why they wouldn't, except for, maybe your father," Tails says.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Your father is the only one I am worried about. I don't know his opinion about this and his opinion of you. Also I think he wants you to sire an heir."

"There's still one other problem. What are we going to do about Geoffrey St. John? I don't think he will like me with you," worries Elias. _Or as a matter of fact me with anyone._

"Well later today I think we should start returning to Mobotropolis," suggests Tails.

"Okay! That way no one will notice I was missing. But it still doesn't explain what to do about Geoffrey."

"We'll see to that later. I think we should enjoy this time before we worry about any of that," states Tails, slowly crawling over to Elias and kissing his cheek. "Calm down and relax. Don't ruin what could be a great two days by worrying about things that can wait."

Turning slowly to return the kiss Elias forgets about his worries and returns to moment with his love.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

*growl* Sonic's stomach was grumbling once again. *growl*

_I'm hungry. I gotta find some chilidogs._ Sonic's speeds down Mobotropolis' main street. _Now where was that chilidog stand again? There it is._ Skidding to a stop in front of "Sonic's Chilidogs." _Hmmm, I wonder why this place is so popular?_ Smirking Sonic walks over to the stand and asks for ten chilidogs. _I like being myself._ Scarfing down the dogs, Sonic rushes off to the palace.

_After a quick nap I'm going to go look for Tails again._ As he is passing Elias' room, Sonic sees a black and white tail disappear into the room. "Huh? What was that?" Slowly Sonic walks over to the door.

"This will set him straight," speaks a muffled voice from inside.

_What?_ Sonic opens the door to see Geoffrey standing over the Princes bed sprinkling dust upon it. _What is he doing?_ "Geoffrey, what are you doing?"

"Woah! What?" Geoffrey speaks startled. _What's Sonic doing here? He's supposed to be on the Floating Island._

"I repeat," sonic says impatiently. "What are you doing on the Prince's bed?"

"I…uh…was um…doing…" _Gotta think of something, but what?_ "…uh…I was…uh dusting the sheet off because nobody else knows the Prince has left the palace."

"Prince Elias has left the palace? Why?" Sonic asks curiosity peaking.

"Is there any other Prince in this Palace that you know of? *pause* He had some important errand to attend to. He didn't tell me where he was going or why. Plus he didn't want anyone to follow him." _Nicely done if I say so myself._

"Did he say how long he would be gone? Who went with him? When did he leave? Why are you dusting off his sheets? What is dusting off the sheets any way?" Asks Sonic.

_You had better stop asking questions…_ "No, he didn't say how long he would be gone; he took no one with him; he left two days ago; I was dusting off the sheets because he wanted the mission from the other people's minds. And dusting off the sheet is…hey. Why are you asking so many questions?" Geoffrey asks a little annoyed, _Sonic get the hint and leave me alone already._

"Because I want to bug you of course." Sonic says with a smirk. _You still haven't answered my question, Geoffrey. Something's not right here._

Sonic doesn't say anything after that, _Finally he shut up,_ Geoffrey thinks to himself. Then Sonic opens his mouth, _Damn, I thought too soon._

"Okay so I'll leave you to your dusting off the sheets," speaks a suspicious Sonic. Sonic runs out of the door and to his room.

_Watch out Sonic only your shoes are fire proof._ "Now I have another reason to be rid of you Sonic, besides the fact that you have my Sally," whispers Geoffrey. "All I need for this to work is patience." Snickering softly he leaves the Prince's room heading for his own.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

At noonday Tails and Elias leave the lake and start heading back to Mobotropolis.

"Do you think we should tell anyone?" Asks Tails.

"I don't know. Some may be all right with this but what about the rest."

"Maybe we should tell Sally. She is your sister and a good friend. Don't you think she will wish the best for us?" Tails asks.

"I guess we should tell her but should we stop her from telling others or just let her blab to all…she's not saying a word.

"Maybe Antoine?"

"No," Tails says firmly.

"Bunnie?"

"I don't think so."

"Should we say anything to Amy?"

"Are you nuts? You want to tell that crackerjack? Hah! She won't find out if I have any say," strongly answers Tails.

"Sooo, so far we are going to tell Sally, but say anything to Amy, Bunnie, or Antoine. I still doubt father will understand so not him either…" Elias recollects.

"What about Sonic?" Meekly asks Tails.

"I don't know, I was hoping you would know whether or not we should tell him. You have known him longer than any other Freedom Fighter," Elias says a little uncertain.

*sigh* "I don't know either. This kind of thing never came up, so I have no idea. Think we shouldn't tell him until we're sure?" Tails softly asks.

"I guess…but there is still that other problem," Elias mentions.

"From what I know about Geoffrey, I don't think he will like getting dumped by you and you being with me. There is no way he'll find out about us, I hope."

"What I'm worried about is what he'll do when I return. I know nobody will enjoy it…except for maybe Geoffrey." Elias' concern grows for both himself and Tails. "We're going to have to be care-ful? Tails what is it?" While Elias had been talking Tails had stopped on the trail to look at something. "What's wrong?"

Tails picks up something off the ground. It is a red thread with black and white fur tangled in it.

"I think we have a problem here." Tails looks up very concerned. "I know only one person who wears red _and_ has black and white fur…"

"Geoffrey! He must have followed me out here, so as to keep an eye on me." A thought crosses their minds at the same instant. "He must know," Elias says voicing their thought.

"We have to be careful from now on until we find out what Geoffrey is going to do. This was the only problem that I was worried about and here it is. I fear what he may be thinking of," Tails says worried.

"We have to return to the palace though or else who knows what will happen."

*sigh* "Let's go then." Taking Elias' hand and coming in close, Tails walks with Elias. He is worried about what might happen but still he is happy to be with his love.

________________________________________________________________________________

The fear of rejection has left them. But the future is an unknown. They do not have any clue to the troubles that will be caused by this one person. Plus their happiness now depends on the opinions of the others.

A/N: I don't think I did a good job on either but I would like others opinions as to whether I should continue putting these on, stopping, or just taking it off. Any comments of how the way I presented characters would be appreciated so I can adjust later.


	3. As One Life Ends, Another Begins

Here's chapter three.

Disclaimer (again): I don't own Sonic, Tails, Sally, and the rest of the characters mentioned in this fic. They belong to Sega/ Archie respectively. I do own Giolythe. She is my character with a background story I've started writing. The first chapter of that story is in "Dark Prophecies Saga." R&R review this fic either with flames or without. If the chapters are too long I'll try to split them if stated in a review.

****

As One Ends, Another Begins

Trouble brews as Geoffrey plots against the two new lovers. Sonic's worry is consuming him. Tails and Elias have trouble to face as their new-world crashes into the real one.

__________________________________________________________________________________

When Tails and Elias returned to Mobotropolis night has already fallen. Out of sight of the city Tails asks, "Do you think we should go through the gates, or a different way?"

"Nobody but Geoffrey knows that I have let the palace, so I don't think we should go through the gates," Elias says. "Do you think you could fly me over into the palace gardens?" Elias suggests.

"Of course," Tails says smugly. Elias grabs Tails' hands. Starting his tails spinning they take flight.

They fly to the city above the people's normal view to avoid detection. Soon they are over the walls of the city and the palace. Tails slowly drops down into the palace gardens without too much noise. _Boy, this place is nothing compared to the lake,_ Elias compares.

_–I know–_ echoes Tails' thought through the link.

"So whose room should we go to, yours or mine?" Tails asks.

"Well, you've seen my room so, I think we'll go to your room," the Prince says. "How big is your bed because if I can't get comfortable then we'll use my room."

"Actually my bed is large enough but I was thinking we talk about or more accurately think about what we should do," Tails corrects.

"Oh," Elias starts blushing again. _Change the subject before I look any more stupid,_ he scolds himself.

The thought echoes into Tails' mind, he smirks, then says, "Do you still think we shouldn't tell Sonic?"

"Oh. You…I forgot about that mind link…"

"Ha, hah," Tails shakes his head. "Sometimes you make yourself so cute it's sickening. Still love you though," Tails states.

Opening the servant's door Tails looks to see if any one is around. Seeing no one he signals Elias to follow behind him to the corridor. Their luck holds out as they run into no one on their way to tails' room. Silently entering they keep the lights off to keep the impression of Tails still missing.

_–When will the others be back from their vacation?–_ Wonders Tails.

"Well, they'll be back…" starts Elias but Tails gives him a look. _–Oh, with the mind link. Sorry,–_ Elias apologizes. Then adds _–In about two days.– _

_–We can find out more about Geoffrey in that time, I guess,–_ suggests Tails. _–I'm sorry to say this, but until we're sure about Geoffrey and what to do about him, I don't think we should do anything that would offend him.–_

–I guess…if you think that would be for the best,– Elias sends a little depressed at the thought. _Damn that Geoffrey, things were so nice._

"I heard that," scolds Tails. "Okay, now I suggest you go to your room." Silently Elias leaves Tails' room and returns to his. The room seems the same to him, which meant hopefully, that no one had been inside it so no one knows he was gone.

Moving to his bed, he falls heavily on it, thinking. A cloud of dust raises from the sheets engulfing the Prince. He inhales some of the dust and then starts sneezing. "Wha- *choo* What's with all this *ah-choo* dust?" He moves over to the window and opens it. Most of the dust leaves the room on an errant breeze to disappear into the night sky.

_I wasn't gone that long. How come there is so much dust on the bed?_ *sigh* He shakes his head and brushes of the dust from his shoulders. _What am I to do about Geoffrey? _He asks himself as he returns to his bed. There is no more dust on it so he lies down on it, thinking and wondering. He sleeps with one question on his mind. _What will father do if he ever found out about Tails and me?_

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Making sure Elias had gone to bed, Tails heads out of his room. Soft trailings of Elias' thoughts echo to Tails but he doesn't pay them any heed. Closing the door behind him Elias disappears into his room.

Softly stepping away from the door Tails heads out of the corridor. He smirks at himself, _Oh prince of mine, you think too loud,_ his smirk dissolves into a frown,_ Now to check on Geoffrey._ He shudders at the thought of having to go to Geoffrey's room._ One good thing about his room is that it's on the ground floor._

Keeping to the shadows, Tails silently steps down the stairs of the third floor to the first floor. Creeping outside he follows along the wall to Geoffrey's window.

The light coming from the room is filtered by the blinds trying to cover it. They don't stop the whispering from inside though. "So you sprinkled the dust on the bed then?" Asks a voice Tails had never heard before.

"Yes, I spread all the dust on the sheet covers before Sonic interrupted," says Geoffrey. 

_What?! Sonic's here? I thought was on that trip to the Floating Island._

"He didn't figure out what you were doing," presumes the mysterious voice.

"No, he didn't. But do you think I should do anything to him to make sure he won't find out?" Geoffrey asks sounding excited.

"I gave you what you wanted; for something like that it will cost you more."

"What did you have in mind?"

"That depends on what you would like done to him…death, pain, amnesia, hate, evil ambitions…" suggests the voice.

There's a pause while Geoffrey ponders which option to choose, "Deathhhh!" He hisses.

"As I expected," there is a shuffling and a soft tinkling of glass. "Here, it just has to enter the body in any way and he will die within an hour or so depending on how much he is given." 

*gasp* _I have to do something!_ Tails thinks.

"Did you hear something?"

"No. I have the money here so I suggest you take it and leave now."

"As you wish but wouldn't you like the cures to both?"

"How much would that cost? If it gets too much higher I just might have to arrest you, Giolythe."

"Nothing more than guaranteed safe passage of escape _and_ I want the Gem of Acorn," says Giolythe with a slight tone of arrogance.

"Agreed," Geoffrey says just as arrogantly. The light goes off and the door closes softly behind the two.

_Gem of Acorn? What's that? I don't have time to wonder about that I have to find those antidotes._ Tails opens the blinds covering the window and enters the room.

_Where could he be hiding those things?_ Quickly and silently Tails starts searching Geoffrey's room. There is nothing in the closet, under the bed, in the drawers, or on or in anything in the room. _Where?_ Moving a lamp out of the way to search the desk a secret panel opens revealing four glass jars each containing a powder of a different color.

*step, step* _Oh, no!_ Quickly grabbing all of the jars and replacing the lamp Tails dives out of the window and runs to the main doors of the palace. *pant, pant* _That was close._ Slowly opening a door he steps into the main hall.

Stealing for the shadows, Tails walks around the hall avoiding all the servants that pass. Leaving the hall he heads past the armory and overhears part of a conversation. _Hmmm, should I listen or go to my room…listen._ Tiptoeing to the armory he listens.

"…that's it but I don't see why you would want that. It's not even worth anything," Geoffrey whispers.

"To you, no value, but to me…" Giolythe's voice trails off.

"What was that last part?" Geoffrey asks.

"Of no concern to you," Giolythe replies.

"Well I never," Geoffrey counters. "You have what you want, now leave," He says darkly. Fearing that one of them would pass him Tails quickly dashes to his room and secures his possessions.

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As Tails is running to his room Giolythe looks up. She shakes her head and snickers. _This has much potential,_ she thinks to herself. _Jealousy, love, and greed. I must find out later what will happen._

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Safely within his room Tail ponders, _I never did trust St. John but this…his planning to kill Sonic and what was that other dust supposed to be?_ Setting the jars delicately down on his bed and Tails stares at them. They do nothing. Slowly Tails picks up one filled with an orange powder. He examines it and finds some writing: _Cures poison of the black and red colored types._ He puts the jar down and then takes another this one read: _Cures the effect of life upon a person._

_Oh dear, that must be the death that Giolythe had been talking about._ With great care Tails sets that one aside. Still there was no mention about the dust now covering a sheet somewhere. The next powder was black: _Cures the effects of orange and white types._ He puts that back and then takes the last bottle, which contained a white powder. Before the instructions is a warning: _Warning: The next person seen by the one affected by this powder will be the center of the given reaction._

"Well that doesn't help me at all," Tails complains. The instruction reads: _Cures the effects of love and friendship with undying hate._ "Oh, my, *gasp* He must have meant this for Elias so he would hate me…but whose sheet would he have-" Tails doesn't finish his sentence knowing that Elias sleeps on the white powder now. _I have to do something but what?_

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_That fool has no idea what he just gave up._ *snicker* Smirking and thinking to herself Giolythe heads out of Mobotropolis. "Let's see here. I have the gems of Speed, Transportation, Knowledge, Water, and now Earth. Five Gems…I still need the other six." Touching a gem attached to her white tunic she is given the dwelling place of another Gem.

"That skunk and that fox will be in for a big surprise. That fox also needs to be quieter when he is trying to find out secrets. But still what an interesting name for a place. The Gem of Life is within…The Forbidden Zone," she shrugs and touches another gem and a portal opens before her. Stepping through she laughs. _I will get my revenge on those who wronged me, my family, and my kind._ Her laughs turn to cackles, _And to think no one even has a clue to what is happening._

Disappearing into the night both portal and stranger vanish.

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Before entering his room Geoffrey shudders. _I don't trust her. I hope to never see her again._ He opens the door to his room and enters.

"There was no way to define her features. What did she look like under the hood? That…That just doesn't make any sense. I should have been able to tell something about her besides her being female. Plus her voice, it was set on edge. She seemed annoyed and it looked like she had better things to do. There is just something about her that sets me on edge.

"I just don't know what it is. Well if I see her again, it will definitely be too soon. But at least these spells will work as I want them to." *snicker* Moving over to his secret panel he thought of what would happen as when Tails and Elias breathed in the powder and began to hate each other.

*boom* The door rumbles from the impact to it. _What was that?_ Forgetting the powders he heads to the door. "Yes? What do you want?" No one answers.

He opens the door and stops in shock of seeing Sonic lying at the foot of the door.

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_Before I go out looking for Tails again, I'll tell Elias that I'm back,_ Sonic tells himself. _That is if he's back from where ever._

Sonic arrives at Elias' door without making a sound. _Even though it's late I think he should know._ He shakes his head and continues. _Plus I can't sleep._

*knock, knock* The sound echoes loudly down the silent hall. Sonic cringes. _I want him up not the palace._ Hitting the door softer this time, no answer. "Elias?" He whispers, "Are you awake?" Sonic slowly opens the door.

"What is it _you _want?" Whispers an agitated Elias.

"Well I was going to tell you that I'm back early and that I'm also going to look for Tails again," explains Sonic.

*growl* "Huh?" Sonic says confused.

Elias charges the hedgehog. Sonic is caught off guard and gets sent flying from the Prince's room. Hitting a door Sonic's flight stops. "Elias? What is all this about?" Elias tries charging Sonic again but he speedily slips past the seething squirrel. "What are you doing?" Asks Sonic.

Elias says nothing but the look on his face could stop a clock. The look of anger and hatred twisted Elias' face into a gruesome mask of ugliness.

"Elias, why are you doing this?" Asks the bewildered Sonic. A snarl is his only response as Elias charges him again. Sonic once again dodges the charge but not the arm swing. Flying to the wall Sonic decides that there is no getting through to the Prince._ Where can I go to find out what's happening?_ He then sprints off.

"Soooonic, where are you?" Tauntingly calls the angry heir. "I need to talk to you…"

Sonic leaves Elias in the dark about where he is and runs back to his room._ If the others were here I could find out…Nicole! I can get Nicole to find out what's been happening here while I was gone._ Having the idea that he can get help he heads for Sally's room.

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Tails rushes out of his room with the black powder filled bottle in hand as he heads towards Elias' room. _I hope I'm not too late…I just hope that I am not too late._

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"What?" Geoffrey asks confused as Sonic rises from the doorway and away from him. A few seconds later Elias rushes past foaming at the mouth, eyes filled with uncontrolled rage._ Oops. Elias breathed the powder, but why is he chasing Sonic?_

Geoffrey leaves his room to follow the combatants. _Hmmm, I wonder what will happen?_ *snicker* _Hopefully Elias gets rid of that hedgehog._

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*pant* _Oh no! I'm too late,_ the worried fox thinks. The door is wide open and the sheets on Elias' bed are a mess. "Where could he be? I must find-" *BOOM* "-him!" Tails rushes through Elias' room to the window.

_I hope that's not what I think it is…_ worries Tails. As he looks through the window all he can see below are shifting silhouettes, he can't tell what's happening or who is down there.

"Why are you doing this?" Calls Sonic's voice. A snarl is the only reply.

"Oh no," Tails says more worried than before. He then jumps out of the window. Gliding down slowly to the ground by slowly spinning his tails, Tails sees the source of the snarl. "Elias," he whispers in astonishment.

Sonic glances around and spots Tails gliding down to the ground. "Tails? What are you doi-" before the hedgehog can finish the sentence, Elias backhands the hedgehog. Sonic once again goes rolling straight into a wall.

It appears to both Elias and Tails that Sonic is unconscious. Seeing that Elias takes his attention from his victim to the next person around. The first person seen is…Geoffrey.

Geoffrey smug that Sonic is out starts to walk over to the hedgehog to see if he can finish the job. Before he gets there, the weakling, the one he never thought would fight him, did.

Caught by surprise by the onslaught of Elias' anger, Geoffrey freezes. Just as prey do when they first see their hunter. Elias tackles the skunk and they wrestle in the garden throwing fists at on another.

Groans of pain emit from both as a punch lands in a gut, as another lands on a cheek, and a foot hits a jaw. "Enough of thish," shouts Geoffrey with a slight lisp as he raises his knee and rams it into Elias' crotch. The squirrel groans and rolls to his side in pain.

Geoffrey gets up cockier than ever, "That'sh what you get for opposing me, you wreth." He kicks the downed Prince with no remorse, no guilt, and no feelings other than anger.

Tails stand frozen as all of this is happening. He just can't believe the anger that the Prince was showing to both Sonic and Geoffrey. _Huh! Wait a minute. The bottle said it would bring out hate only to the next one seen. So why is he attacking Geoffrey?_ Wonders the fox._ And why did he change his target from Sonic to Geoffrey? Not that I'm complaining. Could it be that he is fighting against…_ Tails' eyes grow wide in inspiration, _I have the cure! Why am I standing here instead of…_He doesn't finish his thought.

"Get away from him!" Tails shouts as he charges.

"Huh?!" Is all that the skunk can say before the fox, propelled by his two tails, rams into him sending him flying in the air and then splashing down into the fountain thirty feet away.

"Ooooh…" groans the prince still reeling from the blows inflicted by the officer.

Tails uncorks the bottle and sprinkles a hand full of the contents on the groaning squirrel. Soon the groaning stops as the Prince loses his take on reality. "I hope this works…" whispers the concerned lover.

Leaving Elias, Tails checks on Sonic. While shaking Sonic's shoulder Tails asks, "Sonic? Sonic, are you alright?"

"Aaaah!" Shouts the startled hedgehog. "No! No more hammers! Keep them away from me!"

"Sonic. Sonic, it's me Tails. Come on. Snap out of it."

"Wha-what? Tails? What happened to those hammers?"

"What are you talking about? There aren't any hammers around here," says Tails.

"I-it's just that I thought I was being continuously attacked by a hammers," speaks the worried hedgehog.

"Elias attacks you, knocks you out, and you dream about hammers. Sheesh. I'm starting to wonder how we survived with you as a leader," Tails teases.

"Oh," Sonic responds. He doesn't catch the tease. "Where is Elias anyway? And why was he attacking me?" It then settles on the hedgehog that his little bro is back. "Tails! You're back," he jumps up and hugs his friend.

"Sonic! Enough, enough let go already. I can't breathe."

"Oh, lil bro, I was so worried about you."

"Sorry about worrying you, Sonic. It's just that I had some…stuff to do and think about. Is all," Tails says trying to console his friend over his disappearance.

"I'm glad you're back," Sonic says merrily.

Whhizzip. "AAAH!" Screams Sonic in pain. An arrow had lodged itself inside one of Sonic's quills just barely missing his head.

"Damn!" Sounds a soft whisper from the side of them.

"Geoffrey? What has gotten into you?" Sonic asks shocked at being shot by a fellow good guy.

"My launcher fired accidentally. I couldn't stop it before it loosened," Geoffrey weakly tries explaining himself. "Sorry about that."

"Okay," Sonic says still suspicious of the skunk.

"Elias, are you okay?" Tails asks the squirrel. There is no response though. "Sonic can you help me get Elias back inside while he is still asleep?"

"Okay, I'll help." Together Sonic and Tails takes Elias from the garden back to Tails' room.

They lay the Prince on the bed. "Sonic turn around. I need to get that arrow out now."

"Actually I think Dr. Quack should look at it instead," suggests Sonic.

"Dr. Quack is here. I didn't know that," Tails says surprised.

"He came in while you were gone."

"Oh."

"Is Elias going to be alright."

"I don't know," Tails says worried. "But I hope so," he says with a soft sniff.

"I'll be back," Sonic says as he speedily zooms away.

Tails closes the door softly hoping both Sonic and Elias would be all right. A low growl escapes the fox's lips. _Geoffrey this is all your fault,_ he thinks angrily, _I will make you pay for the trouble that you have caused us all._

He then sits on the edge of his bed and grips his loves hands. _–You will make it through this,–_ he sends to Elias.

__

–We will come through this– comes a faint reply.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

*knock, knock* "Uhh? Who could be waking me at this hour?" Dr. Quack asks himself. He opens the door to see Sonic swaying on his feet at the door. "Sonic what's wrong?" He asks.

Dr. Quack pulls in the wavering speedster and sets him on a chair. Removing Sonic's hand from the back of his head he sees the glove covered in blood.

*gasp* "Sonic you're bleeding! Tell me what happened," commands the doctor.

"Well this night has just been messed up…" Sonic starts his story of when he encounters Geoffrey in Elias' room. Dr. Quack listens intensely to the hedgehog while removing the arrow and covering the wound.

As Sonic finishes his tale, the doctor says, "Interesting…"

"Interesting? What's interesting?" Asks the confused Sonic.

"Oh it's just that Geoffrey came back to the palace from only he knows where incredibly angry and brooding so deep he didn't notice me as he entered."

"Sooo, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't seem like him to show that much emotion," Dr. Quack comments.

"Hmmm. I guess you're right," Sonic says not quite convinced. "Oh yeah. Did you know Tails is back from where ever he was too?"

"As a matter of fact I did. I saw him airlift Elias and himself inside the palace earlier this evening."

"Huh?!" Sonic the fastest thing alive everywhere except for his mind is stumped again. "Do you know when Elias left the palace?"

"No, I don't know when he left. I just saw those three came in not when they left," the doctor replies.

"Oh. Well this night is giving me a headache. I think I should go to bed," speaks the sleepy Sonic.

"That might be the wound," the doctor replies quietly then so Sonic can hear, "That sounds like a good idea. Come back tomorrow so I can see how the wound is holding."

"Okay doc, until tomorrow," Sonic then jogs to his room. *groan* _My head is so sore._ He kicks off his shoes then falls heavily onto his bed. Soon he is sound asleep.

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No one knows that sonic might not make it through the night.

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_How could I miss? I've hit farther targets then that! How could I miss?_ Wonders the officer soaking wet standing in the fountain.

_Well at least it hit Sonic…although I was aiming for Tails._ *growl*_ That fox has gotten away again._ Tails and Sonic carry Elias inside forgetting Geoffrey.

Geoffrey climbs out of the fountain seething._ How could that spineless heir to the throne attack me?_ He then sits down on the edge of the wall wondering how this night had gone so wrong. "Damn, Sonic. Damn, Tails. And damn that Prince. How could he attack me?" Whispers the soaking, sour tempered skunk.

"Well at least this night wasn't a total loss. *snicker* Finally I'll do as Robotnik never could, get rid of that pesky hedgehog.

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Following that the wet, seething skunk enters the palace. He doesn't think of what happened when the arrow dipped in the death spell went into the water. Or how the powder can simply be absorb by the skin when water dilutes it.

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*snicker* _I knew there was potential here. I just love the chaos I've created._ Giolythe ponders to herself from her perch on the garden wall. _It's a good thing I stayed to watch or I'd have missed all this fun._

She watches as Geoffrey goes into the palace. _You naïve little skunk. You only know of your problems._ She cackles. "Plus you may never know of the problems you have created. Ho how I love this," she says to the sky. "But all things must come to an end, so I must take my leave. *sigh* Mental note: return here to see the end of this."

To her statement she once again touches a gem on her tunic. A portal appears in front of her. With one mighty cackle she enters the portal and disappears from the face of Mobius.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

As Geoffrey returns to his room he hears a cackle of true evil follow behind him. He shivers as he enters his room. He grabs a towel and starts drying himself off.

"Why would Elias attack me? The spell was set to bring hate against the first one seen. How?" The officer asks himself.

He goes over to his secret panel and opens it. "Time to poison tip more arrows." He snickers as he speaks to himself. Looking inside he doesn't see the bottles. "Huh? Where are the bottles? I know I put them in there. Where are those bottles?"

Frantically he starts trashing his room, looking for the lost items. _Where are they? I know they were here. Where?_

As he looks his blood pressure raises sending his blood through his body quicker. As the blood travels through his body so does the poison. Soon he collapses.

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"Father, no one can relax," Sally relays to her father.

"I can see that daughter," replies the irritable monarch.

"I think we should head back to Mobius and check on Sonic and the others," Sally suggests.

"All right. Knuckles as you can tell we'll be leaving soon and I thank you for your hospitality."

"You're welcome, your highness," Knuckles states with a bow.

They quickly pack up all their supplies they brought back onto the plane. The king's sadness deepening at how things still have not calmed down even with Robotnik gone. _Oh, Alicia. I wish you were here to help all of us. I know you would have been a help to us all._

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They leave a little while later. Knuckles waves goodbye knowing that bad times will soon be upon them, though the source of ominous is unknown.

As he starts to return home he steps on something. "What?" Removing his foot he sees a crushed shell. "Weird. We were here for sometime. I didn't see anything come. So why is this here?"

He looks at the shell pieces and can see that whatever was in the shell was gone. "Oh well." *crunch* He rolls his eyes._ Now what?_ He looks down and spots some more shell pieces. "Huh?" He says confused.

He checks the pieces and this time finds a small set of tracks that move away from the shell. Following the tracks he returns to the temporary camp the Freedom Fighters had been using.

"What's happening here? This is getting ridiculous. I'm following tiny tracks, why?" He asks his self a little annoyed at his own suspicion. Still following the tracks he sees them lead up to the airstrip the king had used. He shakes his head. _Why am I doing this?_

The tracks stop. The grass is flattened at the area because the plane had been set there while the Freedom Fighters were enjoying their vacation. "Oh, my, gawd! There is a stowaway on the plane. I had better tell Sally this." Knuckles runs from the airstrip and soon is on his way to the transmitter center.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Pain and anarchy run rampant because of Geoffrey's Jealousy. Sonic is in danger. There is a creature soon joining this havoc. The future is less certain than before. Chaos looms close as things come together then unravel. Only the courage set by all can turn these events to the benefit of all.

A/N: Any comments are accepted. *must repeat, must repeat* If there are those interested in Giolythe's background the fic is in the Sonic fanfiction section near this one. R&R. Those who don't like how the characters are shown please state so.


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